Good Good Life: March 2013

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Farmer's Market Ghana Style

Would anyone like some boots?

Or maybe some shirts? I would like the shirt Stephen is wearing. When Viridian came to Ghana earlier in the year to build a World Joy School they brought some shirts with them. Ghana flag colors, outline of the African continents. They Viridian employees know how to build schools and shirts!

If clothing doesn't fancy you, maybe some bananas or other produce? I believe the root is....Karo (I might have made that up...it actually sounds like a Corn Syrup brand...) Anyway, I believe it is the root they make fufu from.

The Cutlass maker

One of my favorite stories. When we went to the Abomosu school Danette found a homemade broom in one of the classrooms. While going around the market she asked Stephen where they could find the brooms to buy. Stephen took a couple of turns down some side roads and they ended up at a school and took some brooms. Apparently you don't buy brooms, you make them yourself.

The Reader

A lot of books were read on the trip but Kellie wins The Reader award. I think 80% of the time that I saw Kellie she was reading. Kellie is an amazing and beautiful woman. I am so happy she came with us. The Good Good Africa Life would not have been quite as good without her quick and hilarious comments.

Apparently good conversation is a good enough reason to put her book down.

Abomosu Clinic

Originally we went to the Abomosu Clinic to observe and volunteer but after we arrived we quickly realized they had everything well under control and the 6 of us would just be in the way and would take away their precious time training us in their protocol. Next time.

One of our midwives proudly showing off her station and the supplies she received at the training--which she used to deliver two babies earlier that morning.

Delivery room

One of the babies born earlier in the morning.

Grandmothers and babies

Outside the delivery unit there was a woman giving blessings to the mothers before birth.

Jungle Fever

We took shots for the yellow fever, pills for malaria, but nothing for jungle fever. Luckily jungle fever consists of only bright red spots and nothing else.

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Abreyna!!!

Best day. Early one morning we set out to visit the children at the school in Abreyna, a small village in the district that you can't reach by car.

Luckily Stephen was with us because we were literally trekking through the jungle. Yaw dropped us off the main road and the trail started us off through some houses.

We crossed bridges

Saw beautiful scenery

Crossed more bridges

Learned about the local foliage from Stephen

Crossed some more bridges

Saw fire trees

Walked through a chocolate forest

And over a river... a chocolate river perhaps?

And after about an hour we could see the school

Every school needs a soccer field

The view from the school--the soccer field and jungle

This guys deserves the educator of the year award. I don't know what he is like in the classroom but he was great with all the children. You could tell that they loved him but also respected him. The kids all gathered around to sing to us. On the last song they were singing and suddenly all the kids ran at us and "attack hugged" us. One of the most amazing experiences of my life.

The water fountain. One cup for everyone. Just dip the cup in and enjoy.

I had some extra balloons left so I gave them to the teacher to distribute later and they all attacked him.

At first they didn't know really know what to do with the balloons. I taught one guy how to blow one up and it went from there.

The amazing Danette brought hair clips for the girls but all the girls in school have to cut their hair short so this kind teacher decided to model one.

Compound near school.

Toy and tool in one. The merry-go-round generates electricity to light the school so the kids have fun and get exercise while also providing light. Love it.